Sixteen Weeks
by bluephoenixsong
Summary: What can happen in sixteen weeks? Horatio and Ryan find out. Rated M for adult content and slash material.
1. What have we done?

**This is a short story I wrote while suffering from writer's block. The idea for this story came to me while I was working on part of my Jessica/Ryan series and I decided to pursue it. This story does not coincide with any of my other stories. I don't really have a specific season in mind here when the story is taking place, but I would guess it's somewhere circa season six.**

**Please enjoy!**

Sixteen Weeks

"_Sixteen weeks isn't a lot of time. Its four months, half a pregnancy, a semester of college, the time it takes to get a motorcycle license, a season of the year. Not much can happen in sixteen weeks really. At least that's what I thought before I met you. Now I see sixteen weeks can really be a lifetime, a decade, a century, forever when it's spent with you. In sixteen weeks I discovered what true love is. And then I lost it again."_

What have we done?

Ryan shivered as the Hummer plowed through the two feet of snow that covered the ground. He looked out his window and watched as evergreens and bare trees passed him by. He was in Michigan, in the Upper Peninsula, with Horatio, in some town he didn't even know the name of, or if it even had a name. The serial killer Miami Dade had been tracking had been sighted in Michigan so Ryan volunteered to go with Horatio to the UP to try and find him. What Ryan didn't know was that also meant having to live in a snow covered winter wonderland for who knew how long.

Ryan adjusted the heater in the backseat and pulled his coat tighter around his body. Horatio looked over his shoulder from the passenger seat and chuckled.

"You act like you've never been in the snow before, Mr. Wolfe," Horatio said with a chuckle.

"I really haven't," Ryan muttered through chattering teeth, "I'm from Florida, remember?"

"Maybe you and Natalia should go on vacation somewhere cold for awhile," Horatio smirked. "You can learn to ski and build up a tolerance."

Ryan sighed and stared out the window. He missed his girlfriend and wished she had come along, too, but she had insisted in staying at the lab.

"We're almost there," the state policeman said, "Just a few more miles." The Hummer plowed through a pile of snow and the entire vehicle seemed to rock under the force. The state policeman, whose name was Charles, chuckled to himself. "And they said I was crazy for buying a Hummer when I live in Michigan," he smirked.

Minutes later the Hummer pulled up in front of a small community of log cabins. Charles cut the engine and smiled. "Welcome to your home for the week, boys," he said in his strange, nasally accent. "This is as close to a hotel as it gets out here. The good news is though the hot water supply is fabulous."

"Great," Ryan muttered as he pulled his suitcase towards him, "At least I can be warm for fifteen minutes."

Ryan and Horatio followed Charles to the cabin door. Charles turned the key in the lock but the door didn't move. He leaned back and threw himself at the door. The wooden door flew open and Charles stumbled inside.

"Door sticks a little," he said as he kicked the snow from his boots, "Just have to put your shoulder into it. Don't worry, you won't break it."

"Can't say the same about my shoulder," Ryan muttered to himself.

"Well I'm afraid that's all for today, boys," Charles said as he turned thermostat up. "It gets dark early around here so there's not much we can do tonight. I'll be back in the morning to pick you up and we can head out to look for old crazy bones."

"Thank you Charles," Horatio said as he shook his hand, "We appreciate everything you've done for us."

"Not a problem, boys," Charles said as he pulled on his wool hat. "Better bundle up for the night though, big snow storm coming through tonight."

"Great," Ryan mumbled, "just what this place needs, more snow."

The wind was loud as it thrashed about outside. Ryan opened his eyes and looked towards the window in the small bedroom he and Horatio were sharing. Even though it was the dead of night Ryan could still see the snow pounding down to the ground with force he didn't think was possible. A loud crack noise and something crashing caused him to jump. He heard the furnace stop blowing and groaned as the power went out.

Ryan laid awake for hours, shivering in his bed in the powerless cabin. Why had he agreed to go with Horatio to the UP in the middle of a Michigan winter?

Ryan felt the weight of something dropping on top of him and the blankets pull back.

"Move over," Horatio's voice sounded from somewhere in the dark.

"What?" Ryan asked shocked.

"I'm tired of hearing your teeth chatter," Horatio said as he spread the extra blankets on the already large pile on Ryan's bed, "You need something to keep you warm and there's nothing better than another body to provide heat."

Ryan groaned and moved over in the bed to make room for Horatio. "Fine," he muttered.

Horatio slid into the bed with Ryan and attempted to pull him closer. "Ryan you're freezing," he said as he touched the younger man's hands.

"I can't feel my feet or hands," Ryan shivered, "And my nose is numb."

"Oh dear god," Horatio said, "Take off your clothes."

"Wait, what?" Ryan exclaimed.

"Ryan, you might have hypothermia and skin on skin is the best way to spread body heat," Horatio explained as he began to shed his own clothing. "Now start stripping, but keep your boxers on."

Ryan attempted to release an aspirated sigh but the air was caught in his throat. "Fine," he practically whispered.

Horatio held the cold Ryan against his body. He rubbed his hands across his skin and rubbed their legs together. "You're so cold," he whispered.

"I know," Ryan chattered, "I feel like my blood's frozen or something."

"Come on, keep moving," Horatio encouraged, "You need to keep the blood flowing."

Ryan weakly began moving his body against Horatio's. He felt the friction of their skin begin to warm his cold body. He tried to get closer to Horatio to absorb more heat and that's when he felt it.

Ryan's groin rubbed against Horatio's and Ryan felt how hard he was. Ryan's own groin began to stiffen and throb and he attempted to will it away.

"How are you feeling?" Horatio asked him.

Ryan was slightly shocked that Horatio was acting so casual about the fact that he had a boner and was just attempting to carry on a normal conversation.

"Um, better, I think," Ryan quietly answered.

"Good, your toes aren't so cold anymore," Horatio responded.

Ryan continued to rub his body against Horatio's. Though he was embarrassed he knew he needed the body heat. As his groin made contact with Horatio's again he felt a spike of pleasure run through his body. Horatio must have felt it, too, because a small sound escaped his lips.

Suddenly Ryan felt a full fledge erection forming in his boxers and the unexpected desire for more contact. He pressed his hips against Horatio's and ground their groins together. That's when a guttural sound broke through Horatio's lips. Ryan felt the heat between them rapidly increase as the desire for more Horatio flooded through him.

Ryan smashed his lips against Horatio's and the older man groaned with desire. He thrusted his hips against Ryan's and Ryan felt the air hitch in his throat. Horatio rolled on top of him and ripped Ryan's boxers from his body. He quickly discarded his own and rubbed their bare erections together. He wrapped his hand around both of their cocks and tugged on them together.

The free fingers on Horatio's other hand slid into Ryan's mouth and he instinctively coated them with saliva. Horatio pressed one slick finger into Ryan and Ryan moaned loudly. Horatio's fingers worked in magically ways that made Ryan feel an incredible pleasure he had never had with any woman he had ever been with.

Ryan wasn't sure when Horatio added the second or third finger but before he knew it Horatio was filling him to the brim. His thrusts were hard and full of desire. Ryan moaned and arched his back, pressing his chest against Horatio's. Ryan's hand wrapped around his now leaking erection and he began stroking himself in time with Horatio's thrusts. He cried out when he hit his climax and felt the warmth within him of Horatio's essence.

They laid there together, panting and coming down from their highs. They looked at each other in the dark, their hearts racing from more than just the orgasm.

"Oh dear god," Horatio muttered, "What did we just do?"

Ryan gasped for air. "I don't know," he whispered, "But I really liked it."


	2. Why did you want it?

Why did you want it?

Horatio awoke the next morning to find Ryan Wolfe cuddled up against his chest, still naked and his hair messed with sleep. Horatio gently touched the younger man's cheek and ran his fingers down his neck and finally resting his palm against the hair on his chest. Ryan's eyes slowly opened and he looked at Horatio. He felt the heat radiating from his body as Horatio's skin rested against his own.

"Last night," Ryan whispered, "Did we really…?"

Horatio silently nodded his head. He ran the back of his fingers against Ryan's cheek and Ryan felt the cool metal of Horatio's wedding band. He turned his head and gently kissed Horatio's knuckles.

"Was it a mistake?" he whispered.

Horatio didn't know how to respond. He slowly shook his head and leaned in to gently kiss Ryan. "What I felt last night towards you was anything but a mistake," he whispered to him, "But I don't understand why I felt what I did."

Ryan kissed him back and kissed a gentle path down his cheek and along his jaw line. "I don't know either, but I wanted it to be anything but a mistake."

"We need to shower," Horatio whispered.

Ryan nodded his head, following Horatio as he climbed from the bed.

They showered together, running their hands against each others skin as they washed away the coldness that surrounded their bodies. Horatio tangled his fingers in Ryan's hair and kissed him passionately. Ryan opened his mouth under Horatio's and snaked his arms around his body. Horatio pressed a bottle of body wash into Ryan's hand and gentle ran the tip of his nose along the bridge of Ryan's.

"I want to know what you felt last night," he whispered as he helped Ryan uncap the body wash. He slicked Ryan's fingers up and guided him to his entrance.

"Are you sure?" Ryan quietly asked as he ran his fingers across Horatio's tight flesh.

"Yes," Horatio whispered, "I want to know what you feel like."

Ryan carefully slid his finger inside Horatio and slowly moved inside him. He hesitantly added a second and third, trying to figure out as he went along how this worked. He coated his cock with soap and attempted to position himself between Horatio's legs. Horatio lifted one leg and wrapped it around Ryan's waist and helped guide him inside his body.

Horatio moaned and dug his nails into Ryan's side where his hands were resting. He began to pant as Ryan started thrusting inside him.

"Are you ok, H?" Ryan whispered.

"Yes," Horatio gasped, "More than ok."

Ryan grunted as he climaxed and felt the sticky warmth of Horatio's release where his cock was pressed between their bodies. Ryan rest his forehead against Horatio's as they came down from their highs.

"Why did you want it?" Ryan whispered.

Horatio looked at him with his incredible blue eyes. "The same reason you wanted it last night."

Ryan kicked his boots off as he walked inside the once again warm cabin. The manager had managed to get the generator running while the power company began work on the terminal a large oak tree had taken out when it fell during the storm.

Ryan walked into the bedroom and found Horatio already sitting on his bed, pulling off soaked clothing. Ryan began pulling off his snow coated clothes and dropped them to the floor as he walked towards Horatio. He stopped and retrieved a box from his suitcase and continued on his path.

Ryan sat next to Horatio and looked at him. He leaned in and gently kissed Horatio. Horatio moaned and opened his mouth under Ryan's. He twined his fingers into his dark hair and felt himself grow hard inside his pants. Ryan pressed the box of condoms and lube into Horatio's palm and looked at him with his large hazel eyes.

"Why do you have these?" Horatio inquired as Ryan guided him down onto the bed.

"I have a girlfriend," Ryan said as he kissed a fiery trail along Horatio's neck and jaw line, "We like to travel sometimes."

"What do you want?" Horatio whispered as Ryan's hands wandered beneath his shirt.

"I want you," Ryan whispered in response as his lips sealed a bond between him and Horatio.

All week long it was the same thing. During the day Horatio and Ryan were working hard with the Michigan State Police to catch the killer. Then at night they would open their hearts and bodies to each other, sharing their sacred temples in the most intimate way possible. But they knew it wouldn't last.

Ryan quietly grunted as he thrusted into Horatio. He leaned down and captured his lips with his own.

"What are we going to do?" Ryan quietly asked him.

Horatio moaned softly and marveled at the feeling of Ryan filling him. "I don't know," he whispered, "We can't keep going on like this when we get back to the lab."

"Maybe we just need to move on with our lives," Ryan whispered as he felt his heart grow heavy.

Horatio nodded his head and held back the feeling in his heart. "Yeah, I think that's best."

Ryan flopped onto the couch of the house he shared with his long time girlfriend, Natalia Boa Vista. She wasn't home yet, but Ryan was ok with the alone time. He was hungry and tired. He made a sandwich and crashed on the couch afterwards, sleeping for several hours until Natalia came home.

Ryan awoke when Natalia's soft lips grazed against the sensitive flesh of his neck. He smiled to himself and laced his fingers in his into her hair. He brought her face to his without ever opening his eyes. He kissed her passionately and chuckled lightly as her hair tickled his neck.

"Welcome home, handsome," Natalia smirked. "Want to know how much I missed you?"

"I think I do," Ryan chuckled as Natalia pulled him up off the couch and towards their bedroom.

Horatio smiled when his wife greeted him at the door. He kissed her gently and held her close against his body, breathing in her unique scent.

"Hello handsome," Marisol whispered in his ear, "How was Michigan?"

"Cold," Horatio said as they linked their fingers together and walked through the house. "I missed my sunshine."

"You don't own the sun," Marisol giggled, knowing exactly what he meant but playing along.

"No, you're my sunshine," Horatio smirked as he kissed her again. "And I missed you so much."


	3. You can't stay the night

You can't stay the night

Six Weeks Later

Ryan stared at Horatio as he walked down the hall with Eric. He stared at Horatio's broad shoulders and muscular arms beneath his lab coat. Ryan felt a pulsating sensation around the tight ring of muscles where Horatio had once dwelled within Ryan's body. Ryan looked away and walked back to his microscope. He looked at the soil sample and tried to care about what he was doing.

Horatio paced around his home office, trying to wrap his head around everything that had happened. Nothing made sense anymore. He didn't know what to do. Marisol was out of town for the next few nights. He wouldn't be able to stay all night, but he could come over for a few hours.

Horatio grabbed his phone and dialed the familiar number.

"Mr. Wolfe," he said into the receiver, "Would you mind stopping by my house? There's something I need from you."

Horatio grabbed the front of Ryan's shirt and pulled him into his house. He slammed the door shut and pinned Ryan against the wall as he claimed his lips with his own. Ryan groaned and marveled at the feeling of Horatio's hard bulge against his forming erection.

Horatio dragged Ryan up to his bedroom and practically ripped Ryan's clothes from his body. A suddenly naked Horatio was pushing Ryan onto the bed as slick fingers worked at his tight muscles. Ryan moaned loudly as Horatio filled him in one swift thrust and hard thrusts hit his spot with pristine accuracy. Ryan cried out as his climax came too soon for his desire.

Horatio carefully pulled out of Ryan, but continued to hover over him in the bed.

"Sorry," he quietly muttered as he stood.

Ryan followed him and wrapped his arms around his body from behind. "You don't have anything to be sorry about," he whispered. "I wanted it, too. I've wanted you again for a long time, Horatio."

"Good," Horatio quietly said as he turned to face Ryan, "Because I want more of you."

"What about Marisol?" Ryan asked as Horatio guided him back onto the bed.

"She's visiting her mother for the weekend," Horatio muttered between kisses. "But you can't stay the night."

"Why not?" Ryan inquired as Horatio's hand engulfed his hard cock.

"Because Natalia would wonder," Horatio whispered.


	4. One last time

One last time

Eight Weeks Later

Horatio and Ryan were alone as they drove through the dark night in the Everglades. They had been called out to a crime scene and had gotten lost in the pitch black. They drove around for an hour trying to find the main road with no luck.

A sudden booming noise caused the entire Hummer to shake unevenly. Horatio stopped and pulled off in a grassy clearing. He clicked on the hazard lights and climbed out, Ryan following close behind him. Horatio sighed as he knelt beside the flat front driver side tire.

"Great," he muttered, "Well I guess I'll call the station and see if someone can come get us."

"I'll call Natalia and see if anyone's still in the lab and can check out the crime scene," Ryan said, pulling out his phone. Something dropped to the ground and Ryan swore loudly as he dropped to his knees. "Fuck, where did it go?"

"Where did what go?" Horatio asked as he grabbed a flashlight.

"My ring," Ryan said, "I had a ring in my pocket and it fell out when I grabbed my phone. Shit, I can't loose this ring!"

Horatio shined the flashlight beam towards Ryan and knelt beside him. "What does it look like?"

"It's silver with three diamonds. The center one's bigger than the rest." Ryan explained, "Shit, I have to find it!"

Something cold brushed against Horatio's fingers and he quickly grasped it. He held up the silver and diamond ring in the light of the flashlight and just stared at it. It was beautiful, clearly hand picked and designed. Horatio felt his heart sink as he realized what it was.

"You're going to propose to Natalia," he quietly said.

Ryan smiled weakly and held out his hand for the ring. "Yeah, I was going to put it on a DB in the morgue from one of her cases and let her find it, but I got called away to another scene."

Horatio chuckled as he handed the ring off to Ryan. He smiled at the younger man, trying to fight the feelings. "That's great," he whispered.

Ryan looked at Horatio. His blue eyes seemed to glow in the dim light of the Hummer headlights. His hair shined as the red hazard lights pulsated in time. Ryan leaned forward and kissed Horatio passionately.

"One last time?" Ryan whispered to him.

Horatio slowly nodded his head. "One last time."


	5. Then we're done

Then we're done

Ten Weeks Later

Natalia smiled and held up her hand so the light danced off her new ring. She leaned across the restaurant table and kissed Ryan.

"Yes a thousand times!" she quietly exclaimed, "Yes, Ryan Wolfe, I will marry you!"

Ryan smiled and gently kissed her again. "Good, because I would look like such an idiot if you said no. Excuse me for a moment," he said as he stood from the table.

"Nervous bladder?" Natalia giggled.

"Just a lot," Ryan chuckled back as he walked from the table.

Ryan approached the men's restroom to discover it was a single unit. He knocked and heard a voice within. He waited outside as he listened to the other person wash their hands. The door opened and Horatio nearly stumbled over him in shock.

"Ryan," he managed, "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, Natalia and I were just having dinner together," Ryan explained, "And I needed to use the restroom so I figured it would be better to piss in the toilet than at the table. I mean, she might not want to marry me anymore if I did that."

A weak smile played across Horatio's face at the news of Ryan's engagement. "You asked her tonight?"

"Yeah," Ryan smiled, "And she said yes."

"Good, that's good," Horatio said as he slowly nodded his head. "Well congratulations."

"You seem upset," Ryan quietly said. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Horatio shook his head, "No, nothing's wrong."

Ryan looked deep into Horatio's eyes. He could see what Horatio was feeling but refused to say. He knew what it meant, because it was also what he felt.

Ryan slowly guided Horatio back through the bathroom door and shut and locked the door behind him. He kissed Horatio passionately as Horatio's hands wandered across Ryan's body.

"I thought last time was the last time," Horatio whispered as Ryan tugged his pants open.

"I thought it was, too," Ryan quietly said, "But I want you one more time. Then we're done."


	6. I'm not sure of anything anymore

I'm not sure of anything anymore

Thirteen Weeks Later

Ryan pinned Natalia on the bed and covered her in kisses. He gently pulled her clothes from her body as she fumbled with his. Ryan's hands trailed down her rib cage and in between her legs. He gently pressed his finger into her and probed around for his destination.

"Ryan," Natalia muttered, "Ryan what are you doing?"

Ryan stopped and looked at her. "Um, having sex?"

"Your finger is in my butt," Natalia whispered.

Ryan froze and looked at his hand. He carefully pulled his finger from Natalia. "Sorry, I, um, I must have missed."

Natalia chuckled and kissed him. "It's ok, I'm just glad you noticed."

Ryan chuckled nervously. "Um, yeah, sorry."

Horatio stared at Marisol's sleeping body. She was sick again. The cancer seemed to be eating her away some days. He wished he could do something more for her, but really there was nothing. He just had to wait and watch as her life slowly passed him by.

He wandered into his living room and sat on the couch as he pulled his phone out. He contemplated for a long time whether or not to make the call. Before he could make his decision a loud knock rapped at his door. Horatio opened the front door to find Ryan standing on his stoop, a reusable shopping bag in his hand.

Ryan smiled at him weakly in greeting. "Hey H," he quietly said, "I was just in the neighborhood and I thought I'd stop by. Natalia and I needed some milk and a few other groceries and I thought I'd stop in and see how you and Marisol were doing. I bought you some lemon bread; I know it's your favorite." Ryan dug in his bag and held out the loaf of bread for Horatio.

Horatio accepted it with a silent nod. Ryan hadn't missed that his hands were shaking.

"Is everything alright, H?" Ryan quietly inquired.

Horatio slowly shook his head. "The cancer's progressing quicker than we thought," he whispered. "Marisol has less time than we were originally told."

Ryan's eyes widened with shock. "Oh god H," he quietly said, "I'm so sorry. You know what- if you need anything you can always call Natalia and me. We're more than willing to help."

"I need something right now," Horatio whispered. He slipped his hand into Ryan's and gently pulled him inside his house.

Horatio led Ryan over to the couch and gently set him down. He carefully and tentatively kissed him again and again, each time lingering for a moment longer.

"Are you sure about this, H?" Ryan quietly asked as Horatio tugged at his belt.

"I'm not sure of anything anymore," Horatio whispered, his voice cracking. "I just need someone right now."


	7. No you're wrong

No, you're wrong

Fifteen Weeks Later

Ryan tossed the wedding catalog back onto the coffee table in disgust. He was sick of looking at wedding dresses and tuxedoes. He felt like he would vomit if he had to look at one more wedding cake and was sick of all the calls he was getting from different florists. There was too much planning involved in a wedding. Too many stupid little things to think about that seemed too ridiculous to be important.

He suddenly felt like he had made the wrong discussion in his life.

Horatio opened the door to find Ryan standing on his front porch. He looked grief stricken, like something was hurting him.

"Ryan, what's wrong?" Horatio asked him.

Ryan looked at him and shook his head. "I can't do this anymore Horatio," he whispered, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Do what?" Horatio inquired.

"I can't keep planning a frickin wedding with Natalia," he whispered.

"Well take a break from the wedding for awhile." Horatio suggested, "You're not getting married for another year, you don't need to have all the details planned out right now."

"No, I don't mean that," Ryan said, "I mean I can't marry Natalia because I don't love her."

Horatio looked at him confused. "You don't love her?"

Ryan shook his head. "No, I thought I did, but I don't. I thought I knew what true love was but I didn't know. Over the last few months though, I've learned what love really is."

Horatio shook his head and stepped back from Ryan. "No Ryan," he whispered, "No Ryan you're wrong."

"I know what I'm talking about Horatio," Ryan said, his voice shaking. "I've finally seen what it was that was missing from my life all these years."

"No Ryan," Horatio said again, "This isn't how it's supposed to be."

"Please Horatio!" Ryan begged, "Can't we have a life together? What's so wrong about being with someone you love?"

"Because I don't love you Ryan!" Horatio screamed, "I have a wife! I don't need you!"

"But I need you!" Ryan exclaimed, "The only reason I proposed to Natalia was because I needed something to fill the void! I needed someone to be you because I need you because I love you!"

"No you don't Ryan!" Horatio yelled in response, "You don't love me, you love Natalia! Now leave me alone!" He shoved Ryan from his house and slammed the door. Horatio leaned against the door and sunk to the ground as he began to cry because he was wrong in so many ways.

"You're having an affair."

Horatio turned to see his wife standing just mere feet behind him as he sobbed. He hadn't heard her approach him and didn't know how long she had been there. "What?" he whispered.

"You're having an affair," Marisol repeated as she began to cry.

"No, Marisol," Horatio quickly said as he rose to his feet, "No, you've got it all wrong."

"No Horatio, I'm right," Marisol snapped at him. "You're having an affair! But it's not just an affair, Horatio. You're having an affair with Ryan Wolfe! You're sleeping with another man!"

"No, Marisol, it's not like that," Horatio attempted to argue, walking towards her.

Marisol recoiled away from him as the tears began streaming down her face. "Don't touch me!" she snapped, "Don't you dare touch me!" She grabbed her purse and pushed past him and out the door. Horatio watched her leave and felt his heart break all over again.


	8. Love drives us to do crazy things

Love drives us to do crazy things

Sixteen Weeks Later

Horatio walked up the stairs of his stoop. He stopped at the sight of the note taped to the front door. His heart pounded as he read it. He threw the door open and ran through the house, trying to find her before it was too late. She was in the kitchen, hanging from a beam. Horatio grabbed her and cut the rope. She fell into his arms, but it was too late.

Eric sobbed as he looked at his dead sister's body on the autopsy table. He couldn't believe Marisol had taken her own life. He was grief stricken. He felt his life was also over.

Natalia quietly left Eric and Horatio alone in the morgue to mourn the loss of the woman they loved. She walked down the hall towards the layout room. She found Ryan standing in the break room and stopped to hug him.

"I can't believe it," she whispered. "Why would Marisol commit suicide? I mean she only had a few months left, but why waste them?"

Ryan buried his nose in her hair and felt tears slide down his cheeks. He had seen the note. He had read what she said.

'_I can't keep living this way. It's me or him and I see you've made your choice.'_

Ryan had ripped it down before anyone else knew of its existence. He couldn't bear letting anyone know what her dying words were.

"I don't know," Ryan whispered. "I wish I knew."

Horatio looked up to see Ryan sitting next to him at the small table in the corner of the bar. He looked away from him as he attempted to hold back the tears.

"Just because my wife's dead doesn't mean I'm going to go running to you," he angrily muttered as he swirled the scotch in his glass.

"I'm not trying to pick you up," Ryan whispered. "You need someone right now. You need a friend."

"I don't need you," Horatio snipped, "I need Marisol."

Ryan gently touched Horatio's hand. Horatio tried to pull away but suddenly the strength was gone from his body. He cried and laid his forehead against Ryan's shoulder. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he allowed Ryan to hold him. Horatio looked into his eyes momentarily before he brought his lips to Ryan's. It was tentative at first but the passion slowly grew between them.

Horatio's entire body seemed to shake as his desire for Ryan grew. Before he knew it he was in the backseat of Ryan's car, Ryan buried deep inside him. Horatio cried as Ryan held him close and gently kissed Horatio's neck.

"Do you want me to stop?" Ryan quietly asked.

"No," Horatio whispered, "I need someone to love me. I just need someone who cares about me right now. I need someone like you."

Horatio walked onto the scene. The car was too familiar for comfort and he wanted to bolt to it, hoping his worse fear wouldn't be confirmed.

Someone had already popped open the trunk and Ryan's dead body was curled up on its side, like he was trying to protect himself from his attacker. His face was mutilated and bashed almost beyond recognition. His arms and legs were covered in lacerations and bruises. He was still dressed in the black jeans and deep blue t-shirt he had been wearing the night before when he found Horatio in the bar. Alexx had pulled up his shirt to make the incision to insert her thermometer to take his liver temp. The word "FAG" was craved deep into the muscles on his torso.

"Poor baby," Alexx whispered, pain filling her voice, "I don't understand what happened."

"Ryan!" Natalia cried as she leapt from her car. "Ryan, no!" Eric caught her before she could cross the yellow tape. She sobbed loudly in his arms as pain flowed through her body at the loss of her fiancé.

Horatio's heart broke. He shouldn't have let Ryan leave alone. He should have protected him.

Horatio managed to make it inside his house before he started sobbing. He clambered into the living room and collapsed on the floor next to the coffee table. He looked at the picture of the team and pain ripped through his body. Ryan was standing next to him, smiling brightly because of a life he had wanted them to have.

Horatio grabbed an envelope from the coffee table and scribbled a note on it. He sobbed loudly as he unclipped his glock from his belt and brought it to his head. He looked at the picture one last time as the tears continued to pour down his face.

"I'll be with you soon Mr. Wolfe," he whispered as he pulled the trigger.

Pain ran through Eric's body as he looked at Horatio's lifeless body, a pool of blood and brains beneath his head. He lifted the envelope from the cable company from where it sat on the coffee table.

'_I'm sorry, I did it to be with him again.'_

Eric shook his head as tears poured down his cheeks. Natalia walked to his side and gently touched his arm. "I'm sorry Eric," she whispered, "I'm sorry you lost your sister and brother-in-law in the same week."

"He didn't kill himself because of Marisol," Eric whispered. He held the envelope out and Natalia accepted it from him. Tears welled in her eyes as she read the note. "He killed himself because of Ryan," she whispered. She tossed the envelope onto the coffee table as she continued to hold back the tears. "That explains Ryan's injuries."

"Love drives us to do crazy things," Eric quietly said as they stared at Horatio's dead body.

"Yeah, like leave our lives for others," Natalia whispered as tears began to crawl down her face.

"_Sixteen weeks isn't a lot of time. In sixteen weeks you can build a house, you can master your backswing in golf, perfect parallel parking a car, pay off a speeding ticket, serve a probation sentence, you can find the truth. Sixteen weeks ago I found you, I found love. Sixteen hours ago I finally accepted that I love you. Six hours ago you were taken from my life forever. Sixteen minutes ago I took my own life. For sixteen seconds I was still alive, knowing you would be on the other side, waiting for me."_


	9. Author's Note

**This is a part of the story I was going to include in the last chapter, before Horatio finds Ryan's body, but I decided to leave it out because I wanted the reader to be able to have their own interpretation of what happened to Ryan.**

**Another quick note- if you're wondering who's saying the quotations at the beginning and the end of the story, the beginning was supposed to be kind of an open for interpretation thing but kind of more towards Ryan. Then I wrote the last one from the perspective of Horatio. So the final answer would be the beginning is Ryan and the end is Horatio, both after they're dead.**

**I also apologize about not forewarning anyone about the character deaths. I know some people like to be forewarned that their favorite characters are about to die but I felt like that kind of ruins stories, because then you know how it's going to end.**

**Ok, anyways, here's the part of the story that didn't make the final cut.**

The man grabbed Ryan by the throat and pulled him into the dark alley. He kneed Ryan hard in the groin and someone else stabbed a knife into his lower back. Ryan gasped for air as someone began beating him in the face. His nose cracked loudly and blood began to drip down his throat. They threw him to the ground and Ryan felt the front of his jeans flood with warmth at the sight of the knife in the moonlight. Fear flowed through him at the realization he wasn't going to leave that alley alive. They held his arms down as the other dragged the knife across his skin. Ryan screamed and cried out for help. He was only silenced when someone stamped their boot into his face.

**See I felt there was more of a shock factor having Horatio called out to a crime scene where Ryan's found dead then telling about how Ryan was beat to death, and in case you haven't noticed I really like shock factors. lol**


End file.
